Hair curler



Jan. 21, 1958 MeNEIL 2,820,465

HAIR CURLER Filed Dec. 15. 1954 INVENTOR. BEI0 Gig/v65 L M-"/V/1.,

WM mm ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent F HAIR CURLER assignor to Ohio, a

Application December 15, 1954, Serial No. 475,523 4 Claims. (Cl. 132-33) This invention relates to hair curlers. More particularlyit relates to a device whereby a hair tress may be formed into a curl having effectively a hollow center.

When treating hair with chemical waving solutions it is necessary to form a curl by winding a hair tress about a curler having a mandrel, and then fasten the curl in some fashion so as to prevent it from unwinding. In many prior art devices the curler mandrel remains in position inside the curl, with the tress wound tightly about it. When the chemical waving solutions are applied to the hair, they must penetrate to the center through the outer layers of hair. Thus, the tips of the hair, which require the most treatment, receive the smallest amount of curling solutions.

Acurler previously has been proposed in which a-hair tress is passed through a longitudinal slot in one end of the curler and held in position by a spring device. The tress is then wound about the curler. The curler is removed while the curl is held between the fingers, and some fastening means is used to secure the curl. In using thistype of curler the ends of the hair tress extending through the longitudinal slot are wound in a reverse direction from the portion of the tress on the opposite side of the slot. As a result, an undesirable S-shaped curl is formed. Another disadvantage in using this type of curler is the difficulty encountered in holding the curl in position during the time the curler is removed and the fastening means inserted.

It has now been found that by use of the curler of this invention a hollow curl can be produced without the difliculties encountered in prior art devices.

Accordingly it is one of the objects of this invention to provide a means for forming a hollow curl.

Another object is to provide a device with which hair tresses may be easily and quickly prepared for treatment with a chemical waving solution.

A further object is to provide a curling clip which is small in size and which may be worn with a minimum amount of discomfort to the wearer, as for example, while sleeping.

Other objects and advantageous features will be apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a side view of the winding mandrel of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 represents a curling clip.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top view showing the curling clip assembled in position in the winding mandrel.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a similar cross sectional view of an assembled curling clip and winding mandrel showing a tress of hair at the beginning of the winding.

Figure 8 is an elevational view showing a hair tress 2,820,465 Patented Jan. 21, 1958 wound about the mandrel and fastened in place by the curling clip.

Figure 9 is an end view of the wound hair tress after the mandrel has been removed.

Figure 10 is a partial elevational view of an alternate type of winding mandrel.

In general the hair curler of this invention comprises a winding device and a curling clip. The winding device comprises an elongated mandrel which terminates in a handle portion. Alternatively mandrels of different sizes may form extensions at each end of the handle. The mandrels each have an axial bore, and a longitudinal slot of lesser width than the diameter of the bore, communicating with the bore. The mandrel if desired may be bifurcated i. e. it may have a similar slot at diametrically opposite sides.

A curling clip is adapted to be removably positioned with respect to the mandrel. The clip has a body of a size or diameter to be engaged within the bore of the mandrel and at each end of the body at least one bendable extension of lesser transverse dimension so that the extension will pass through the mandrel slot. In practice the curling clip is engaged with the mandrel and a hair tress is wound over the mandrel between the clip extensions until the desired curl is formed. Then the extensions are bent back toward each other over the curl so as to keep the curl from unwinding. The spindle may then be removed longitudinally leaving a hollow curl retained by the clip and ready for treatment with curling solution or otherwise.

Referring to the drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the curler is shown, the winding device comprises a handle portion 10 and winding spindles 11 and 12 at each end of the handle. Each winding spindle is provided with a longitudinal bore 13 or 14 and may be bifurcated as at 15 or 1 The curling clip (see Figure 3) comprises a central body portion, terminating in extensions 18 and 19, lying outwardly at an angle from the axis of the central body portion 17. The curling clips may be formed in various ways, as by stamping from sheet metal. A conventional and inexpensive way of forming a clip such as that shown in Figure 3 is to twist two wires together intermediate their ends to form the body 17, end portions of the two wires forming the extensions 18 and 19, as will be appreciated from Figures 3 and 4. By reason of the twisting, the central body portion will have an effectively larger diameter than the extensions, and will fit within the bore 14 of the mandrel. The wire or other material from which the clip is made should be relatively soft and capable of being bent easily and of retaining its bent position after bending. For protecting the clip from the action of water or curling solutions it may be coated with a suitable protective substance, metallic or otherwise. A coating of synthetic resin or other plastic or of rubber derived from latex or an artificial dispersion serves the purpose very well. Such coating is indicated at 20 in Figure 4. Curling clips of different sizes, responding to the dimensions of the mandrels 11 and 12 may be made and used for the formation of curls of different sizes.

When the curling devices is used, the central body portion 17 of the curling clip is fitted into the longitudinal bore 14 of the mandrel 12 and the extensions 18 and 19, passing outwardly through the slots 14, are bent nearly parallel to the mandrel 12 and away from the central portion of the clip. This relationship of parts is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. A hair tress is wound about the mandrel 12 by rotating the handle portion 10 of the winding mandrel. It may be desirable to use paper to enclose the loose ends of the hair and to grip the hair when starting the curl. When the tress 21' is wound to form the completed curl 22 of Figures 8 and 9, the extensions 18 and 19 of the curling clip are bent around the hair tress to hold it in posi- The mandrel 12 is then removed longitudinally, leaving only the hollow curl 22 on the curling clip, the central hollow of which is larger in diameter than the body 17 of the curling clip, so that hair treating solutions are provided easy access to the interior of the curl. As shown in Figure 8, the extensions 18 and 19 of the curling clip should each be somewhat longer than half the length of the body portion 17, so that when bent over they will overlap. The curl 22 is securely though loosely held against unwinding.

The winding mandrel may be constructed of any suitable material such as metal, plastic, etc. although it is preferable that the bifurcated portion possess some resiliency, sothat the curling clip ill be held in position longitudinally when inserted.

Figure 1 illustrates a type of winding device which may conveniently be made of plastic or similar substance. Figure shows a type of winding device having a bandle portion 23 and one or more mandrels 24 or 25, made of metal with the handle portion knurled as at 26.

Various modifications may be made in the design of both the winding mandrel and the curling clip without departing from the scope of the invention. For example the winding mandrel may be provided with a spindle at one end only.

Having thus described my invention in an exemplary embodiment what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hair curling device comprising in combination, an elongated winding means tion and tending substantially from said handle to the end of said mandrel and extending entirely through said mandrel so as to bifurcate it, a curling clip comprising an elonoutwardly from said slot wound on said mandrel.

clip having a body with a transverse dimension through said slot, at each end, said slot.

removably positioned within said having extensions attached to said from mandrel at both ends and adapted evice comprising a handle, a mand handle, said mandrel having a d a longitudinal slot of lesser width than the diameter of said bore, said slot with said bore throughout its length and communicating a hair curling re claimed in claim 2 in which said slot extends entirely through said mandrel so as to bifurcate it, said clip extensions at either end 4. The structure claimed in comprises a pair of wires tw as to form said body,

of its body.

wires forming said extensions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS having a pair of oppositely directed claim 3 wherein said clip isted together centrally so untwisted end portions of said 

